Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Prinze ''' (née '''Gellar; born April 14, 1977 in New York City, New York, U.S.) is an actress and producer. She is best known for her role of Buffy Summers in the supernatural television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Gellar portrayed Karen Davis in The Grudge and The Grudge 2 and has roles in several other horror films and thrillers such as I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream 2 and The Return. Early Life Gellar was born in New York City. She is the only child of Rosellen (née Greenfield), a nursery school teacher, and Arthur Gellar, a garment worker. Both of her parents were Jewish, though Gellar's family had a Christmas tree during her childhood holidays. In 1984, when she was seven years old, her parents divorced and she was raised solely by her mother on the city's Upper East Side. She graduated from Fiorello LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts in 1995. Gellar was estranged from her father until his death from liver cancer on October 9, 2001. Talking about not having a father figure in her early life, she remarks: "I might have been an immaculate conception. You never know. My father, you can just say, is not in the picture. I'm not being deliberately evasive about him, it's just that there's so little to say. He is not a person who exists in my life. Just because you donate sperm does not make you a father. I don't have a father. I would never give him the credit to acknowledge him as my father". Career Breakthrough (1992-2003) Gellar's first major break came in 1992, when she starred in the serial Swans Crossing and was subsequently cast in the soap opera All My Children, playing Kendall Hart, the long-lost daughter of character Erica Kane (Susan Lucci). In 1995, at the age of eighteen, she won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series for the role. Gellar left All My Children in 1995. Gellar stated that she was screen tested eleven times (originally auditioning for the role of Cordelia), before she landed the lead in the 1997 TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, playing a teenager burdened with the responsibility of fighting a number of mystical foes, mostly vampires. The show was well received by critics and audiences alike. Throughout its seven seasons and a total of 144 episodes, Buffy, and by extension Gellar, became cult icons in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Australia. Gellar sang several of the songs during the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode "Once More, with Feeling", which spawned an original cast album. Gellar has also hosted Saturday Night Live a total of three times (1998, 1999, and 2002), appearing in a number of comedy sketches. In 2000, Gellar guest appeared as Debbie in the HBO series Sex and the City episode "Escape from New York". Gellar has lent her voice to animated TV series, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and several episodes of Robot Chicken. A Buffy spin-off series (Angel), featured two episodes in which she guest starred. Gellar built on her television fame with a motion picture career, and had intermittent commercial success. She first had her major film role in the popular slasher film I Know What You Did Last Summer. She was cast as Helen Shiver, an aspiring beauty actress. Washington Post found her "likable". The film was successful at the box office, grossing $125,586,134 worldwide and earned Gellar a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress – Horror and a MTV Movie Award nomination for Best Breakthrough Performance. As a result the film has been parodied and referenced in popular culture. Gellar got a role in the teen horror Scream 2, in which she portrayed Cici Cooper, a Sorority sister and film fan. She signed on to Scream 2 without having read the script, on the basis of the success of the first film. The film gained acclaim and earned an impressive $172,363,301. With her recent work at the time, she cemented her It girl status with her first appearance on the 'Most Beautiful' list by People magazine. After making a cameo appearance in the romantic comedy She's All That, Gellar had the starring role in Simply Irresistible, film that premiered in early 1999. The film opened to negative reviews and did not do well at the box office. She admitted in an interview having regrets for her choice to work in the film: "Simply Irresistible was just a bad choice – and for that, it was a great learning experience. I wasn't ready to make that movie. I was too young. The script was not ready. I knew in my heart before I left to make it that I should back out." Cruel Intentions (1999), a modern-day retelling of Les Liaisons dangereuses featured a kiss between Gellar and co-star Selma Blair that won the two the "Best Kiss" award at the 2000 MTV Movie Awards. This film was a modest hit at the box office, grossing over $38 million in the United States and over $75 million worldwide, and earned several awards and nominations. Critic Roger Ebert stated that Gellar and co-star Ryan Phillippe "develop a convincing emotional charge" and that Gellar is "effective as a bright girl who knows exactly how to use her act as a tramp". Gellar's role showed her versatility as an actress, and many were surprised to see her playing a brunette cocaine addict with an appetite for manipulating and using people. Her performance was praised by a number of critics, including Rob Blackwelder for SPLICEDwire, who wrote about the "dazzling performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar who plunges headlong into the lascivious malevolence that makes Kathryn so delightfully wicked. (Plus she looks great in a corset.)". Gellar next played a lead role in James Toback's independent Harvard Man (2001), where she played the daughter of a mobster. The movie gained mixed reviews after its premiere. Filmcitic.com found Gellar's performance "memorable" along with cast's. The movie included two sex scenes with Gellar, helping her shed her good girl image even more after 1999's Cruel Intentions. During her growing film career Gellar continued work on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer; however, she decided to leave the show after the seventh season. When asked why, she explained, "This isn't about leaving for a career in movies, or in theater – it's more of a personal decision. I need a rest." Shortly after the show's end, Gellar stated that she had no interest in appearing in a Buffy feature film, but that she will consider it if the script is good enough. She did not appear in the final season of Angel, causing the intended episode ("You're Welcome") to be rewritten for the character of Cordelia Chase. Gellar has said that she was willing to appear in the episode, but scheduling conflicts and family problems prevented it. Another actress, Giselle Loren, voiced Buffy for an animated series based on the show, which never aired, and the various Buffy video games. In her feature in Esquire magazine Gellar expressed her pride for her work on Buffy, "I truly believe that it is one of the greatest shows of all time and it will go down in history as that. And I don’t feel that that is a cocky statement. We changed the way that people looked at television." Gellar's likeness is used in the comic continuation of the series. Post Buffy the Vampire Slayer career and Hiatus After the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gellar's next film was the 2004 horror film The Grudge, which was a success at the box office, grossing $187,281,115 worldwide. David Wirtschafter, the president of the William Morris Agency (which represented Gellar), subsequently told The New Yorker that the success of The Grudge "takes our client Sarah Michelle Gellar, who now is nothing at all, and… makes her a star, potentially. Suddenly, the Sarah Michelle Gellar space is meaningful". The remark led Gellar to terminate her association with the agency; Gellar is now represented by the Creative Artists Agency. Gellar appeared in the sequel The Grudge 2, which opened in October 2006; in the film, she has a minor role reprising her character from the first film. Gellar next appeared in the thriller The Return, which was released the following month and in which she played a businesswoman haunted by memories of her childhood and the mysterious death of a young woman. The movie was marketed as a horror movie and many including critics were surprised to find The Return was, as Rafe Telsch said, "just a murder mystery with a few supernatural elements". The movie pulled in a disappointing $4,800,000 weekend gross with little promotion. Gellar then lent her voice to two animated films: the animated fairy tale Happily N'Ever After, and TMNT, in which she played April O'Neil. She followed those with a string of films including Southland Tales, The Air I Breathe, Suburban Girl (earlier known as "A Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing"), and Possession (a supernatural thriller based on the South Korean film Jungdok known to English language audiences as Addicted). Southland Tales opened at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2006 and was released in the U.S. in November 2007. Suburban Girl and The Air I Breathe were screened at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. Suburban Girl did not receive a theatrical release and was released on DVD in early 2008. It was described as "a blend of Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada" and a "pseudo-sophisticated romantic comedy" according to Variety.com. Her on screen chemistry with Alec Baldwin was either criticized or praised, with Eye For Film commenting, "The film works best when Baldwin and Gellar are together – aside from the fact that Gellar seriously needs to eat a bun or two". Film website moviepictirefilm.com stated "Gellar and Baldwin both give wonderful performances and make their chemistry incredibly real and ultimately, quite heartbreaking. Containing a ton of laughs and killer fashion that could give "The Devil Wears Prada" a run for its money, this movie has something uncommon in most romantic comedies, tons of style and a huge heart." The Air I Breathe was released theatrically the same month to generally poor reviews. The New York Times called it a "gangster movie with delusions of grandeur." However, Gellar's performance was praised by a number of critics, DVD Talk Review noted that "her character here has the deepest emotional arc, and she hits all the right notes. On June 25, 2008, it was announced she is no longer attached to the film version of the video game American McGee's Alice. It was reported on September 25, 2008 that Gellar would return to television in the HBO series The Wonderful Maladys. The show is about three dysfunctional adult siblings living in New York and struggling to deal with the loss of their parents years ago. Creator Charles Randolph told Variety that he wrote the part with Gellar in mind, and described Gellar's character as having "a kind of zealous immaturity – like a drug addict with a to-do list." Gellar and Randolph would serve as executive producers. HBO shot the pilot in May 2009. According to an interview with Adam Scott the show was not picked up. The film Possession, starring Gellar, has had a range of release dates – starting with February 2008. The film was finally set to be released in theatres in January 2009, but due to financial problems at YARI Film Group, the release was yet again pushed forward. In March 2009 it was announced that the film would skip theatrical release altogether, and go straight to DVD/Blu-ray. It was set to be released on May 12, 2009. However, the movie was not released on DVD/Blu-ray as scheduled. Possession was released straight to DVD in March 2010. Gellar also stars in Veronika Decides to Die (2009). The film tells the story of a young woman suffering from severe depression who rediscovers the joy in life when she finds out that she only has days to live following a suicide attempt. Filming of the movie began on May 12, 2008, in New York City and finished in late June. It was reported that Kate Bosworth was previously attached to the project. The film was released in Brazil on August 21, 2009. After her work in 2009, her daughter Charlotte Grace Prinze was born and Gellar decided to take a break from work to spend time with her. TV comeback with Ringer, and beyond (2011–present) In 2011, Gellar signed on to star and work as executive producer for a new drama titled Ringer, in which she plays a woman on the run who manages to hide by living the life of her wealthy twin sister. The show was originally made for CBS but was picked up by its sister channel The CW in May 2011. On May 11, 2012, The CW announced the cancellation of Ringer. Gellar has stated that part of her decision to return to a television series was because it allows her to both work and raise her daughter. The series premiered with high rating for the network (the first episode brought 2.84 million viewers) and mixed-positive reviews. E! Online wrote that Gellar was "awesome" and "fantastic", TV Line remarked she "does a fine job" as both characters and USA Today found her performance "well-defined". On August 4, 2011, Gellar confirmed she will be returning as a guest star on the ABC soap opera All My Children before the show's ending in September but not as Kendall Hart. Her airdate was September 21, 2011. She portrayed a patient at Pine Valley Hospital. She tells Maria Santos that Pine Valley is familiar to her, and, that she is "Erica Kane's daughter". She also states that she saw vampires before they became trendy—a reference to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Gellar is featured as a playable character in the new Call of Duty: Black Ops map pack Escalation, and also the second female playable character in the whole "Call of Duty" series, in which she appears as herself shooting a movie for George Romero, fighting off a horde of zombies. Media Gellar has appeared on the covers of Cosmopolitan, Glamour, FHM, Rolling Stone, and other magazines. She was featured in the annual Maxim "Hot 100" list in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2008 and in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women" of 2005. She was voted number 1 in the magazine's 1999 edition. In 1998, she was named one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People (in the World)". Gellar has appeared in "Got Milk?" ads as well as in the Stone Temple Pilots music video "Sour Girl" and Marcy Playground music video "Comin' Up From Behind". In 2007, she was ranked No.54 on FHM Hot 100 List and was a celebrity spokesperson for Maybelline. Wearing a black lace brassiere, she was on the cover of the December 2007 issue of Maxim magazine and was named Maxim magazine's 2008 Woman of the Year. In 2008 she ranked in the top 5 of the Maxim "Hot 100" list. She was also featured in Google's Top 10 Women Searches of 2002 and 2003, coming in at #8, and featured in UK Channel 4's 100 Greatest Sex Symbols in 2007, ranked at #16. Roles like Buffy and Cruel Intentions made her a sex symbol across the globe. Gellar featured in FHM's German, Dutch, South African, Danish and Romanian editions 100 Sexiest Women lists every year from 1998 onwards. Topsocialite.com listed her as the 8th Sexiest woman of the 90s along with Alicia Silverstone, Gillian Anderson and Shannen Doherty. Other appearances and listings include: Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 TV Icons in 2007, Entertainment Weekly's Top 12 Entertainers of the Year in 1998 (ranked #3) and Glamour's 50 Best Dressed Women in the World 2004 and 2005 (ranked at No.17 and #24). BuddyTV ranked her #27 on its TV's 100 Sexiest Women of 2011 list. In 2007, Gellar was featured in Vaseline's "Skin Is Amazing" campaign, with other actors such as Hilary Duff, Amanda Bynes, and John Leguizamo. Gellar graced the cover of Gotham and featured as their main story in the March 2008 issue, in which she spoke about how passing 30 has evolved her style. Gellar said "It sounds clichéd, but when women turn 30, they find themselves. You become more comfortable in your own skin. Last night on Letterman, I wore this skintight Herve Leger dress. Two years ago, three years ago? I would never have worn it." In 2011 Gellar joined "The Nestlé Share the Joy of Reading Program" which aims to promote the importance of reading to the development of young children and to encourage them to continue reading over the summer break. Personal Life Gellar met her future husband Freddie Prinze, Jr., during filming of the 1997 teen horror film, I Know What You Did Last Summer but the two did not begin dating until 2000. They were engaged in April 2001 and married in Mexico on September 1, 2002 in a ceremony officiated by Adam Shankman, a film director and choreographer with whom Gellar had worked on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Gellar's bridesmaid was her closest friend of many years, Lindsay Sloane. The two also played each other's respective love interests as Fred and Daphne in the 2002 film Scooby-Doo and its sequel, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. In 2007, Gellar legally changed her name to Sarah Michelle Prinze in honor of the couple's fifth year of marriage. In 2004, while filming The Grudge in Japan, Gellar visited the famous Japanese swordsmith Shoji Yoshihara (Kuniie III) and bought a katana from him as a birthday present for her husband. Gellar learned that she needed clearance from the Japanese government to remove the sword from the country and, after eventually succeeding, stated that it was "incredibly difficult" to do. Gellar gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Charlotte Grace Prinze, on September 19, 2009. In September 2012 she gave birth to their son Rocky James Prinze. Gellar is an active advocate for various charities, including breast cancer research, Project Angel Food, Habitat for Humanity and CARE, a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty, all of which she says you get to "physically do something". She says, "I started because my mother taught me a long time ago that even when you have nothing, there's ways to give back. And what you get in return for that is tenfold. But it was always hard because I couldn't do a lot. I couldn't do much more than just donate money when I was on the show because there wasn't time. And now that I have the time, it's amazing." Gellar has four tattoos. She has a symbol for integrity on her lower back; the symbol for patience/perseverance and a cherry blossom on her ankles and two dragonflies on her back. Gellar has a black belt in taekwondo. Trivia Frequently plays strong and independent women Her unique nose Pets: Maltese terrier named Thor; Akita named Tyson. Big fan of Dr. Seuss. Hobbies: collects rare books, especially editions of classic children's literature. The Burger King commercial she did in 1982 was the first commercial to ever mention a competitor by name. Consequently, McDonald's sued her as well as Burger King. She also couldn't enter a McDonald's unless she was in disguise due to truth in advertising ("I only eat at Burger King" was one of her lines in the commercial). Ironically, McDonald's was a sponsor of the WB's hit TV show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997). She studied Tae Kwon Do for five years, and now she's taking kickboxing, boxing, street fighting and gymnastics. One of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People. 1998 Tattoos: Celtic symbol on her left hip, Chinese symbol for integrity on her lower back and a heart with a dagger hanging over it tattooed on the inside of her right ankle. Ranked #1 in FHM magazine's 100 Sexiest Women in the World 1999 and #3 in 2000. Won 4 online TV Guide awards. Her high school classmates include: Tara Reid, Ben Taylor, Jerry O'Connell, and Macaulay Culkin. Her idol is Stockard Channing. Attended the Professional Children's School in New York City; graduated with a 4.0 grade average. Her favorite movie is Heathers (1988). Director Raja Gosnell wanted a real life Hollywood couple to play Fred and Daphne in Scooby-Doo (2002) - Sarah and real life boyfriend Freddie Prinze Jr. were his first choice. Publicly announced that she is engaged to Freddie Prinze Jr.. April 2001 Roles she turned down: Juliet in Romeo + Juliet (1996), because of scheduling conflicts with "All My Children" (1970). Also due to "All My Children", she was forced to give up a role in Clueless (1995) and The Crucible (1996), both of which she had really wanted. She also turned down a role in The Faculty (1998). She turned down the roles of Sasha in Urban Legend (1998) Brittany Foster in the The In Crowd (2000), and Portia de Rossi's role in Who Is Cletis Tout? (2001). And because of scheduling conflicts with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997), she had to turn down the role of Jenny in Gangs of New York (2002). She also turned down the lead role in Stardust (2007). Roles considered for: Rogue in X-Men (2000); Julie Barnes in The Mod Squad (1999); she auditioned for Natalie Portman's role in Where the Heart Is (2000); was James Toback's first choice to play Cindy Bandolini in Harvard Man (2001). There was also major fan gossip of her starring in The Dark Knight (2008): it was rumored that she would have been The Joker's minion Harley Quinn, or would have replaced Katie Holmes as Batman's love interest Rachel Dawes. She was in talks to star as the Ranger in Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey (2010) and was also in talks to star as Alice (2010/I). She was considered for the lead role of Wonder Woman (????) in a proposed film by Warner Brothers. She was Charles Randolph's first choice as Alice Maladay in his unsold HBO series entitled The Wonderful Maladys (2010) (TV). Her biological father (Arthur Gellar, 60) was found dead from unconfirmed circumstances in his Manhattan apartment. October 2001 Ranked #16 on the Maxim Magazine's Hot 100 of 2002 list. Has said that if she wasn't an actress she'd want to be a journalist or a writer of childrens books. On October 17 2002, her wax model, by Madame Tussaud, was unveiled at the "Trail of Vampires" exhibition. Voted 9th most beautiful person in the world in South Africa's People magazine (2002). #8 on Google.com's most searched women in 2002. Presented an award at the Glamour Awards 2003. Guests at Sarah and Freddie's wedding included actors Dulé Hill, Shannen Doherty, Eva La Rue, Adam Shankman and close friend and bridesmaid to Sarah, Lindsay Sloane. In 1999, she signed a contract with Maybelline to become the company's first celebrity spokeswoman since Lynda Carter in the late 1970s. During the 2001 Teen Choice Awards (August 20, 2001), "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) co-star Michelle Trachtenberg presented her with the Extraordinary Achievement Award for being a good role model and for her charity work (especially for Habitat for Humanity). She auditioned first for the role of Buffy on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997), but the producers thought she was better suited to play Cordelia. She auditioned as Cordelia, but pursued the role of Buffy, ultimately winning it over many other girls. Her wedding gown was designed by Vera Wang. She signed on to Scream 2 (1997) before even reading the script. She told Wes Craven while filming Scream 2 (1997) that she does her own stunts all the time on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997), but she was far too scared to be thrown off a balcony for her death scene in the film. She beat out Rebecca Gayheart for the role of Cici in Scream 2 (1997). Daughter-in-law of the late Freddie Prinze and Kathy Prinze. Is an avid fan of the New York Yankees and the New York Knicks. Is an only child; coincidentally, so is the original "Buffy Summers," Kristy Swanson. Her most frequent collaborator to date has been husband Freddie Prinze Jr., working with him six times: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997); She's All That (1999); Scooby-Doo (2002); Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004); Happily N'Ever After (2006) and in "Robot Chicken: Operation Rich in Spirit (#1.17)" (2005). Incidentally, she has also worked with Freddie's frequent collaborator Matthew Lillard four times: She's All That (1999); Scooby-Doo (2002);Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004); and "Robot Chicken: Operation Rich in Spirit (#1.17)" (2005). Ever since playing the title role in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997), she has had a reputation as a "stickler" for on-the-set safety. This showed when Charles Cyphers guest-starred in an episode of BTVS: while filming, he accidentally got hit on the head with a piece of pipe. Although Cyphers was not seriously injured, Gellar "snapped to it," and angrily lectured the BTVS crew about said mishap. Ranked #45 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002). Is a natural brunette. Dyed her hair blonde for her role in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997). Her favorite singer is Mariah Carey. Ranked #45 on the Maxim magazine's Hot 100 of 2003 list. Hosted the MTV Movie Awards in 2002 along with Jack Black. Is a fan of English soccer team Arsenal. In addition to liking the Yankees, Knicks and Giants, she is also a fan of the Dodgers. Has spent a lot of time in Australia, filming, and on holiday visiting friends. Attended New Years Eve celebrations on the shores of Sydney Harbour, December 31, 1999. Ranked #26 on the Maxim magazine's Hot 100 of 2005 list. Ranked #18 in the Top 100 TV Teen Stars. Ranked #64 in FHM magazines's 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005. Like her title character on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997), Gellar has been an accomplished ice-skater since childhood...when she skated competitively for some time, until her mom made her quit to focus more on school and acting. Coincidentally, Sarah was born within 5 months of figure-skating legend Nicole Bobek, during the same year. Ranked #94 in FHM magazine's 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006. Was invited to reprise the role of "Buffy Summers" in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2002) (VG), and also in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds (2003) (VG). Turned down both jobs because she had insisted on seeing their scripts, and never did. For her and Freddie's fifth anniversary, she changed her last name to Prinze. On their anniversary, she showed Freddie her new driver's license. Ranked #1 on Maxim magazine's "Hottest Women of Horror Movies" list. On her vacation to Hawaii with her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., she took surfing lessons 21, 2008. Friend of Mädchen Amick. The actresses' became pals when Amick costarred with Gellar's husband Freddie Prinze Jr. in his ABC sitcom "Freddie" (2005). Had an allergic reaction to the Japanese water while filming The Grudge (2004). They had to put garbage bags over her legs for her shower scene in the movie due to this allergic reaction. Her favorite books are "The Princess Bride" and "Gone with the Wind". The Princess Bride (1987) is also one of her favourite movies. She broke a bone in her hand while filming the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) episode "Homecoming". Signed onto Southland Tales (2006) before even reading the script. She thought the writer/director Richard Kelly presented a world and an idea, and a concept to her so thoroughly that she couldn't say no. Replaced Kate Bosworth, in Veronika Decides to Die (2009). Ranked #18 on Wizard magazine's Sexiest Women of TV list (March 2008). Ranked #5 on Maxim Magazine's Hot 100 and Woman of the Year in 2008. Has been long time friends with actor Seth Green, and has collaborated with him quite a few times. They can be found together in Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004), "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) and "Robot Chicken" (2005). Ranked #32 on FHM Magazine's 100 sexiest women of 2008, which earned her the title of Comeback Queen because she wasn't even on the list last year and she had 4 movie screen outings. Resides in L.A. with husband Freddie Prinze Jr.. Is close friends with actresses Shannen Doherty and Lindsay Sloane. Turned down a role in both Stardust (2007) and Romeo + Juliet (1996). Both roles later went to Claire Danes. Is allergic to cats and has a phobia about broken glass. Is mentioned by name in a song called "Harder" by Xzibit. In Los Angeles, she led a viewing of A Powerful Noise (2008), a documentary about women fighting adversity. Actress Natalie Portman held another viewing in New York City March 2009. She and actress Mila Kunis have a special credit at the end of every "Robot Chicken" (2005) episode. Became good friends with actor Lee Pace while filming Possession (2009/I). Together, they later attended the "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy," Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her favorite actors are Tom Cruise, Daniel Day-Lewis, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Uma Thurman, and Sandra Bullock. People Magazine announced that she is expecting her first baby in the fall with husband Freddie Prinze Jr. April 2009. She is the ambassador of the charity CARE, which helps fight world poverty. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama gave a $25,000 contribution to the charity CARE. Ranked #39 on FHM magazine's 100 sexiest women of 2009, which earned her the title of Eternal Flame because she's still in the top flight of the list after so many years of being # 1 in 1999. Her favorite colors are red and pink. She had a baby shower for her first child and a few of the guests that came were Michelle Trachtenberg, Kristin Chenoweth, Shannen Doherty and Eva La Rue August 2009. Ranked #9 on TV Guide's Sexiest Sci-Fi Women of all Time 2009. In an Entertanment Weekly.com countdown of the top 25 biggest Emmy nomination snubs, she was ranked #22 for her starring role on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997); the show itself was ranked at #3. Was 5 months pregnant with her daughter Charlotte when she completed filming for her unsold HBO pilot, The Wonderful Maladys (2010) (TV). Returned to work 18 months after giving birth to her daughter Charlotte in order to begin filming "Ringer" (2011). She and "The Nestle Share the Joy of Reading Program" raised funds to help support the importance of reading and raise awareness on illiteracy May 2011. Voices herself in escalation map pack of Call Of Duty's Call of the Dead (2011) (VG), along with actors' Danny Trejo, Robert Englund and Michael Rooker. She is also the first playable female character in all of the Call of Duty games. She threw a baby shower for her Cruel Intentions (1999) co-star Selma Blair. Actress Jaime King also helped Gellar with the event. May 2011. She has played the same character (Buffy Summers) on three different television series: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997), "Angel" (1999) and "Robot Chicken" (2005). Attended two separate San Diego Comic-Cons as a panel guest: one in 2004 to promote The Grudge (2004) and one in 2011 to promote "Ringer" (2011). Is a big fan of pop singer Kylie Minogue. She attended her Fever2002 tour when she was in Australia shooting a movie there. Said that she is constantly mistaken for actress Kellie Martin in looks and voice, that if asked for an autograph, she would sign her name as "Kellie Martin" to those fans who mistake her. Gave birth to her 1st child at age 32, a daughter Charlotte Grace Prinze on September 19, 2009. Child's father is her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr.. Expecting her 2nd child with husband Freddie Prinze Jr. 26, 2012. On the last season of Buffy, Sarah Michelle Gellar was filming Scooby Doo 2 Monsters Unleashed Personal Quotes her father Just because you donate sperm does not make you a father. I don't have a father. I would never give him the credit or acknowledge him as my father. being a teen idol This is what I've waited for my whole life. school My biggest complaint is school when it's Send-the-roses day. Somebody's always left out. I always got roses, but I would give them to someone who hadn't gotten any. Movies I'm always the one who gets killed. And I want it to be really gory. Body parts all over the place. Mangled! Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon: "They're unbelievable. They're an inspiration to young love." job pressures There's so much pressure on all of us right now. On Katie Holmes, on James Van Der Beek and myself, to do these movies, and do as much as you can because there is the slight feeling that one day your phone will stop ringing. It's not about the craft, per se. It's so easy to fall for it all because people remind you constantly that as fast as it comes, it can go. And I think there is this sort of paranoia, this need to keep working. And I know that I felt it, and for the first three years of the show, I never had more than a week off, except for Christmas. That was it. being 'skinny' How can women be as thin as we are? We have personal trainers to work us out. We have specially prepared meals. the Internet I got a computer and I'm learning how to use it. I collect antique books, so I used it to get my copy of 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses,' and I use it for travel, to look up customs. I went to Fiji, and I looked up all this stuff before I went, like 'Don't wear a hat in someone's house because it's rude, and don't wear shoes.' You've got to think there's something better I can do with my time than log on to the Internet and say, 'Ooo, let's find out about me!' I think that would frighten me a little bit. what the word "feminist" means I don't call myself a feminist because feminism has a negative connotation. It makes you think of women who don't shave their legs. But feminism is not just about not being weak. It's about being able to take care of yourself. Just because you might care about what you look like or what the opposite sex thinks of you, it doesn't make you not a feminist, although it's a word I hate. Do I consider myself a strong female individual? Uh-huh. Can I take care of myself? Yes. her kissing scene with Selma Blair in Cruel Intentions (1999) It was a great kiss. It even had a saliva trail. One of the greatest gifts my job has given me is that my mother, who gave up her entire life for me, doesn't have to work any more. I'm now in a position to repay her for her devotion. I am militant about drugs. You want to do 'em? You're out of my life. posing nude Right now I can't picture posing, but I don't believe in saying never... There might be a time when I got pregnant and felt really beautiful and wanted to have a nude picture. what she would do if she wasn't acting I would go to college to be a journalist. I always wanted to write for Time or Newsweek. You'll never know what you're capable of if you don't try. I don't understand why James Bond has to be a man all the time. When Pierce Brosnan retires, why not one of us? why she was happy to get married: I'm so grateful I don't have to go looking for a man on a Saturday night. I was always terrible at chatting up men. 10, 2003 "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) To me, the scariest elements of horror films are the things that could really happen. And what is more scary than high school? ... What I like about the show is that it reminds you it's O.K. to be different. What people think isn't necessarily true. If people walk away with half of that, we've done our job. York Times, April 27, 1997 playing Kendall Hart on "All My Children" (1970) I seduced my stepfather, and when he wouldn't sleep with me, I slept with the stable boy, cried rape, and my mother stabbed him with a letter opener. Then I went to jail for perjury, burned my parents' divorce papers, and locked up my little sister. I think that was all in the first week. York Times, April 27, 1997 attending the Professional Children's High School in Manhattan Everybody there had a talent, and everyone was respected. If somebody didn't like you -- they didn't talk to you! They didn't make fun of you, punish you. You could, you know, mess around with how you dress. You really had that chance to find yourself, and I thank God for that school. I went to that school feeling amazingly untalented. That school was my lifeline. Let me tell you something -- talent night at our school? There was nothing like it. Horror films are where women can shine and have a chance to lead. They always save the day in these films. gay marriage I have good friends, gay couples, who've been together for 18 years. It drives me crazy that in the eyes of the law, their love isn't acknowledged when I have girlfriends who have married four times by the age of 25. religion I don't believe in organized religion and I never have. No, that's what bothers me. That's how they think. Okay, this is a summer...I remember that it used to be you could see great movies any time. Now it's like summer is for blockbusters, fall is for the movies that they can't fit into any other time, that's like September. Then Oscar movies start, it used to be post Thanksgiving. Now the awards are earlier so it starts earlier. January is when they dump movies. And it's just so... it seems to me so obvious that wouldn't it be better for the marketplace to have these movies spread out? Not just people don't only go to the movies in summer time. If that was the truth, then in the summer time they would count the whole week's worth of the box office but it's still only a weekend. So why does it matter...sorry, I get a little upset. It's just frustrating. Basically I only like to choose films that I don't understand. As long as they're greater than my mental capacity, I figure I gotta be doing something artful, right? Isn't that what makes something art when you don't understand it? I wish, and I wish so much for the film industry right now. I wish so much for originality and I wish so much and I think that we're caught in this difficult cycle right now because our studios are corporations now. I keep talking about the old 1940s, where one guy with a cigar and a scotch made decisions for a studio and now, because there are all these computer corporations basically, technology companies and there's so much else that goes into a decision that it's very difficult to get films that are different, that are off the beaten path, made. It's much easier to get something unoriginal made than to get something original. "Simply Irresistible (1999) was just a bad choice - and for that it was a great learning experience. I wasn't ready to make that movie. I was too young. The script was not ready. I knew in my heart before I left to make it that I should back out". how she would like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) and her work on it to be remembered I hope positively. One thing about the show was it was never categorized. It was drama, comedy, action, horror, all of those things combined. And I just want people to remember it as a fabulous run, a fabulous seven years. In this day and age, everything is so cross-marketed that the lines have blurred, in my opinion, between what is an actor and what is a celebrity. What is reality? All you have to do is pick up a magazine or turn on the television and you can get ideas from places that five years ago you couldn't. in LA filming Southland Tales (2006) That's so weird. It's one of those things that's like you go on location and you're there for a week getting ready. Here it's like you're walking the dog, you're paying the bills and then 10 minutes later, you have to go to work. It's a very sort of odd- - I'm grateful for it and so glad to actually film a movie in Hollywood. Although some of these locations are pretty far. I could probably fly to some of them. her doing movies and Freddie Prinze Jr. doing his show It's funny in the sense of he'll say to me, 'You don't understand. You're doing a movie. I've been on my feet all day.' I'm like, 'For real? For real I don't understand?' So that's kind of odd. And the times are funny because I'm on nights and he's more organized in terms of...or last week he was getting out of the house at like 3:30 in the morning. advice for her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr. on his sitcom "Freddie" (2005) Do a sitcom. Don't do a one hour. That was actually my advice. He was going to do a one hour. I was like, 'Are you crazy? You know what people make for sitcoms and how little they work, right? You see all of our friends on sitcoms. You know what? I only see myself doing films that interest me and that are a little bit off the beaten path. I will go wherever that takes me. I just - - I always say it just can't be generic. I can't be the girlfriend or the wife or the - - you can't play the characters that I've been blessed to play and then do that. I can't be the girl in the film. I think the best piece of advice I've ever gotten is to trust myself and go for my dreams. I got that from my mom. Being sexy is being confident. It's important to know you don't have to have silicone breasts falling out and a thigh-high skirt. Sometimes you meet people and they think, 'Another cute little blonde actress.' That's not who I am. - on rather being known as clever than sexy. not wanting children at this point You can't be selfish and have a child. Right now I want to live my life and have fun. I want to go sit in my Jacuzzi and drink wine all night. 2007 I had to twist his Freddie's arm and leg to see Moulin Rouge! (2001) Although he enjoyed it once we were there. In fact, there was a moment during the evening when I swear I thought he was going to leave me for Nicole Kidman but then, who could blame him? I'd probably leave him for Nicole if she asked. She's hot! It sounds clichéd, but when women turn 30 they find themselves. You become more comfortable in your own skin. Last night on Letterman I wore this skintight Herve Ledger dress. Two years ago, three years ago? I would never have worn it. - Gothman Magazine. her character Buffy Summers For eight years I had the pleasure of portraying a character that was the very definition of a powerful woman. In my opinion, one of the greatest examples in the history of entertainment. 2007 As an actor, you constantly play these other characters. You're always pretending to be somebody else, but at the same time you have to keep a handle on who you are. I think that's where a lot of actresses get lost sometimes, because that's tough. I can only imagine it has to be the same as a pop star because you're not even playing a character. You're a persona. having her baby girl Charlotte I'm not going back to work anytime soon. I'll only have my first child once and see these milestones once. I can't imagine not being there. We're (she and husband Freddie Prinze Jr.) just taking it one day at a time. I'm such a cliché right now, but she is the greatest gift that anyone has ever given me, and I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to do right by her. What still overwhelms me is the reality that we created this life together, and now we are responsible for her. She is here; she is ours. I'd say that makes us pretty lucky, indeed. 2009 the suggestion of a 'Buffy' film, 2004 'My concern with a film is, how can we do it justice? We went out on top, and I like staying there. That doesn't mean I won't change my mind. I'm a woman. It's my prerogative to change my mind as often as I like!' working with Seth Green 'If I had my way, I'd work with Seth on every project. I think the world of him...he's an amazingly gifted comedian and he's also a very giving comedian.' a possible Buffy reboot movie It was a movie! It's been made. It stars Kristy Swanson, they made it! They don't need to make another one. I think it's a horrible idea to try to do a Buffy without Joss Whedon, I mean that's like honestly...to be incredibly non-eloquent, that's the dumbest idea I ever heard. the importance of reading I love books. I'm constantly afraid we're moving into this digital era where books are going to go away, and to me books are the basis to everything in life. Reading is how we function. It's not just creative imagination and creative play, it's how we function as human beings, as human adults, and if you can instill that at a young age then that's a skill they'll have for life. back on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) I think it's gotten me to this point now where I don't have this burning desire to accomplish anything. That was so fulfilling for me in every way that everything I do now is the cherry on top. I don't feel the pressure to do this or have to do this or go here or do that because I feel like I've already won. enjoying working, but not letting it take over her life I was 18 years old when I started "Buffy," and work was my everything. Back then, no actor had worse hours than I did. Now I don't work on weekends anymore. Everybody knows you can't sway me on that point, so nobody even tries. Plus, my perspective on work has changed: Work doesn't define who I am. I love what I do, but I don't feel a burning pressure anymore. And because I'm working for fun, I get to enjoy it. I'd watch "Ringer" (2011) if I wasn't on it! Of course, it's not as much fun when you know what's going to happen. It takes some of the excitement away. how having a child has changed her perspective on work I would never fault anyone's decisions and choices, but being a parent was so important to me. I just couldn't be the parent who goes from country to country and leaves their child, or schleps their child with them. finding it difficult to understand people who view returning to TV after strictly working in film is a step down career-wise I don't feel like I didn't succeed - The Grudge (2004) is still the second-highest female opening ever. And "Ringer" (2011) doesn't feel like a retrograde step, not to me. That is the weird perception, but I think it's slowly changing. whether or not she is fed up with looking back and talking about "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) Fed up with it? No! No, no, no! I'm so proud of it, and I actually like talking about it more now than I did then. Because I was 19, 20. Sometimes I think, to get true perspective, you have to step away, to realize the impact that something had. how "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) affected the course of television "Buffy" came at the right time ... Now you see these great roles on television all the time. Glenn Close in "Damages" (2007)? One of the greatest actresses of all time. Sally Field in "Brothers & Sisters" (2006)? TV is where the roles are. Without wishing to sound obnoxious, I do think it changed the course of television. It certainly changed genre television. It just came at the right time for that. I clip coupons all the time. Why should you pay more for something that someone else is paying less for? Relationships are like flowers: They need attention to grow and develop. You have to make time to be there for the other person. Appearances Sarah has appeared in the first two The Grudge movies. Her character also appeared in The Grudge 1.5, and was completely absent from the third film. Category:The Grudge cast